Jewish Students at Harvard Reported ‘vague’ on Jewish Values

The majority of Jewish students at Harvard College have “a strong sense of belonging to Judaism,” but most of them “have a vague knowledge of Judaism, and infrequently participate in Jewish causes and problems,” the 11th annual convention of the Student Zionist Organization was told here today. The report was made after a survey by Jonas Galper, a Harvard graduate now studying at the Albert Eiastein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, in New York.

Mr. Galper, who conducted the survey with the help of SZO and Dr. Stanley King, director of the Harvard Student Study, said his poll showed that 65 per cent of the Jewish students at Harvard would intermarry. On the question of dating, he reported, 45 per cent of the Jewish men polled said they would date only Jewish girls, 45 per cent said they would date girls regardless of religion, while 10 per cent asserted they would date only non-Jewish girls.

In answers to other questions, 90 per cent said they are interested in visiting Israel; 27 per cent said it was important to observe ka shruth; and 66 per cent said it was important to observe the Jewish holidays.